Robin Hood Primary School

Robin Hood Primary School Beckhampton Road, Bestwood Park, Nottingham, NG5 5NA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 The attainment and progress of Year 6 pupils in 2012 did not meet national minimum standards.  Although progress is better now, a small minority of teaching still requires improvement.  Sometimes the activities pupils are given are not closely matched to their abilities.  Pupils do not always have enough time to practise their key literacy and numeracy skills, or to respond to the comments teachers make when marking.  The reading habits of a small minority of pupils are not well enough established. This hampers interest and enjoyment, as well as the progress they are capable of making.  The strong teaching now seen in some parts of the school is not yet being routinely used as an example to help other teachers improve their skills.  The subject and key stage leaders, who have recently been appointed, do not yet play a full role in improving teaching and learning.

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The school has the following strengths

 Leaders and managers have done a lot of recent work to raise the quality of teaching.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress, and this continues through to the end of Key Stage 1.  There is some outstanding teaching, particularly for the oldest pupils.  Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They show respect to others, feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe.  Engagement with parents and carers is outstanding.  The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 26 lessons, of which six were joint observations with either the headteacher or the deputy headteacher. They also listened to pupils read and observed groups of pupils being supported.  They held meetings with one parent who requested a meeting, two groups of pupils, senior and middle leaders, the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative from the local authority.  Although there were no responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), the inspectors took into account the school’s own analysis of its questionnaires to parents and carers, and the opinions of parents who spoke to them on the days of the inspection.  Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour in and around school, looked at a range of pupils’ work in books and on display, and accessed documents including information about the progress of pupils throughout the school, the school’s self-evaluation and development planning, and

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Information about this inspection

documents relating to governors’ involvement.

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Inspection team

Lynn Brewster, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Nigel Grimshaw Additional Inspector Gwen Onyon Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  Almost all the pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium, which is additional government money to help certain groups such as pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, is well above average.  The proportion of pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs supported through ‘school action’ is above average. The proportion supported at ‘school action plus’ or through a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school does not meet the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum requirements for pupils’ attainment and progress.  No pupils are currently educated in alternative provision away from the school site.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the amount of teaching that is good or better by:  sharing the best existing practice in teaching, so that teachers can learn from each other  planning activities that are closely matched to the abilities of pupils  managing time effectively in lessons, so that pupils have more time to carry out their own work  giving pupils time to respond to feedback in marking, and checking that they do so  changing pupils’ reading books frequently enough to move their learning on rapidly.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by making sure that subject and key stage leaders play a full role in checking on and improving teaching.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement because they are not yet reaching the levels of attainment they are capable of, despite recent improvements in teaching.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Attainment in 2012 was significantly below average in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6, after rising for four years to broadly average in 2011. The proportion of pupils who made expected progress English and mathematics was significantly below the national average. As a result, fewer than three out of five pupils reached the level expected for their age in both English and mathematics, and the school did not reach the government’s floor standards.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The 2012 Year 6 group had unique characteristics. For example, boys outnumbered girls by two to one, and over half of the pupils had special educational needs. Recent progress and attainment information shows that achievement in Years 5 and 6 is improving rapidly.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and understanding well below the levels expected for their age. They make good progress that continues in Key Stage 1, due to the early establishment of good routines, high expectations and good teaching.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Recent Year 1 tests show that reading levels are below average, but improvements in teaching this academic year have meant that children are now beginning to learn and apply well what they know about letters and sounds to their reading. Most children enjoy reading but a few do not because they find it too difficult, or do not read regularly at home.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Standards overall and in reading and writing are now broadly average at the end of Year 2 and rising. In mathematics, there has been a steady improvement and attainment is now very slightly above average.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Progress was typically good in the lessons seen. Children in the reception class enjoy learning about and using letters and sounds in their writing, and by Year 2 they are writing simple sentences with connectives and basic punctuation. By Year 6 many pupils write confidently using more advanced vocabulary in their explanations and actively seek ways to improve.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make progress in line with other pupils and benefit from extra support with their learning.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The school uses its pupil premium funding for nurture groups and family support, reading recovery and helping pupils to catch up in writing and mathematics. Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals are now making slightly better progress than other pupils due to the carefully considered activities the school provides to support their personal and academic development. Even last year, the gap between their attainment in national tests and that of the other Year 6 pupils was smaller than it is nationally.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Despite recent improvements teaching is not yet consistently good enough to have had a sustained impact on pupils’ achievement.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Where some teaching still requires improvement, pupils are not given activities at exactly the right level of difficulty, or they spend too much time listening and not enough time learning actively. In such cases, work is too hard for some pupils and too easy for others. As a result they do not learn as well or as quickly as they could. Lessons are sometimes not managed well enough to ensure pupils have enough time to practise the skills at the right level.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is generally helpful, especially in writing. It tells pupils what they have done well, helps to identify the next steps in their learning and sets a good example when the teacher’s handwriting and written English is of high quality. Pupils say they appreciate their teacher’s comments and feel proud when they are good ones! However, pupils are not always given time to read or respond to these comments so valuable learning opportunities are sometimes lost.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Much teaching is now good or better. In Key Stage 2, much teaching for the older pupils is outstanding. These pupils benefit from fast-paced, interesting activities in which they are challenged to think, and they work well with each other to find solutions.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In one Year 6 lesson, pupils were asked to design a poster which used key features of an information text to show the best way of responding to a medical emergency. The teacher skilfully asked searching questions to deepen pupils’ understanding, and made excellent use of information and communication technology to impart knowledge and model good writing, giving pupils good opportunities to build on their previous knowledge. She insisted on exemplary behaviour, and as a result pupils were thoroughly engrossed in their learning.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children have good opportunities to explore and choose activities that interest them. For example, in the nursery class children were observed looking through lenses at crickets and other insects and asking the teacher to help them to examine the large African snail. They were excited and curious but calm and well-mannered as they went about their work.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Daily teaching of letters and sounds in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1 contributes well to children’s development in reading and writing, but in some cases reading books are not changed often enough for pupils to progress at the rates they are capable of.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Assessment information is used well throughout the school to inform teachers’ planning. This also contributes well to identifying and providing for pupils who may need extra help. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are taught well.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is promoted well through assemblies, for example by ‘being proud of our achievements’ and ‘being safe on the internet’, and through living school values within each lesson. Respect and appreciation of self and others, as well as reflection, are common themes across the school. Opportunities for pupils to develop their cultural awareness are also strong, for example in the school’s links with Rwanda.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils typically have good attitudes to learning and behave well in lessons and around the school, supported by adults’ clear policies and consistent practices.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school has a high regard for its moral purpose, which includes children being ‘ready to learn’ and able to ‘aim high’. As a result, pupils for whom behaving well is sometimes a challenge are supported well so they and their classmates can make the most of their time at school. Even so, a few pupils still have difficulty managing their behaviour and need ‘time out’.  Pupils understand well the system of rewards and sanctions. They trust each other, their teachers and the adults who support their learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say they feel safe, and parents agree that the school provides a secure environment. Pupils know how to keep safe on the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils and parents agree that bullying is rare. Pupils say adults are always on hand to help sort out a problem if pupils have difficulty in sorting it out for themselves.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is average and improving due to the school’s timely and regular reminders, strong support from parents and carers, and good incentives for pupils to attend regularly.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher, deputy headteacher and the senior leadership team have done much to improve teaching. However, good teaching is comparatively recent and good and outstanding practice is not yet routinely shared with colleagues to improve the remaining teaching that requires it.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The systems for checking on the quality of teaching and learning are now good, and pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics is carefully tracked. The responsibility for monitoring and evaluation of teaching quality and subject areas now extend to relatively new middle leaders and governors. The subject leaders are confident and well supported but there has not been sufficient time for them to make the required impact on improving teaching and ironing out inconsistencies.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The senior leaders are well aware of the school’s strengths and areas for development, and have worked successfully to improve and develop systems to help it move forward. Addressing the inconsistency of teaching and the progress made by pupils in Key Stage 2 have been recent focus areas. As a result, most lessons are now good or better and progress is accelerating, particularly in Years 5 and 6. Where pupils in Year 6 need additional support to reach expected levels, the best teachers have stepped in to provide it – this is having a positive impact.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The way subjects are taught is interesting and links subjects together for pupils to practise basic skills, although opportunities for pupils to read are not as well developed. Pupils’ learning experiences are enriched by a wide range of extras such as sporting, musical, artistic and gardening activities, as well as a breakfast and after-school club. Pupils in years 3, 4 and 5 are learning to play a stringed instrument within the ‘In Harmony’ project. Pupils also have the opportunity to learn Spanish.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority has provided effective advice and support relating to school improvement planning, and staff training in the teaching of early reading skills.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Parents are overwhelmingly supportive, and work in outstanding partnership with the school. Projects such as ‘Share’ cement good relationships and high aspirations. Positive comments such as ‘I can’t believe she is doing so brilliantly’ are common. One parent of a child in the Early Years Foundation Stage acknowledged that ‘this start to the day is better for the teachers, better for the parents and better for the children. It’s a win, win, win for everyone; our [child] has settled incredibly well.’

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  The governors know all about the quality of education provided by the school, and provide good challenge and support to the headteacher and senior leadership team. Governors participate in monitoring activities in order to strengthen the quality of teaching. They understand how the analysis of performance data can be used to raise standards, and ask relevant and searching questions. They use good procedures to hold the headteacher to account for the school’s progress against its priorities, and make sure that teachers’ pay rises depend on them meeting targets that link closely to pupils’ achievement. Governors manage finances well, so they know how well money such as pupil premium funding is used to improve achievement for eligible pupils. They also ensure that the arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet national requirements.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 131007 Local authority Nottingham Inspection number 406403

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 491 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Anne Hutchby Headteacher Andrew Sharp Date of previous school inspection 3 March 2011 Telephone number 0115 915 3982 Fax number 0115 915 3983 Email address admin@robinhood.nottingham.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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